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small talk

noun

Definition of small talknext
as in chat
friendly, informal conversation or an instance of this at the corporate get-together we made the obligatory small talk with some people from the home office

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of small talk Frazier said that the woman was known to frequently walk around the neighborhood sparking up small talk. — Stephen Swanson, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 My driver appeared like a normal woman attempting to make small talk. — David Hookstead Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2026 That’s how this dinner kicks off, after a minuscule, benign moment of small talk between him and Georgia. — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026 Making small talk about boycotts of companies associated with bad causes, Maher observes that Hugo Boss supplied uniforms to the ur-villains of the 20th century. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for small talk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small talk
  1. chat
  2. talk
  3. chatter
  4. table talk
Noun
  • Outraged attendees who were joined by Zoom began flooding the chat with comments that were read aloud for the in-person group to hear.
    — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • All that happened autonomously because the contact information was already stored in Muse from earlier chats, in the agent's memory, and an OpenTable connector was already set up when initially signing up with Muse.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of chat
Noun
  • The indirect talks come as the conflict, which is entering its eighth month, has caused global economic damage and badly battered Iran.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Progress in talks will be a main focus for markets, as regional mediators push for ceasefire negotiations, said Mahmoud Mashal, senior market analyst of VT Markets Dubai, adding that any meaningful progress could drive crude lower.
    — Justina Lee, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of talk
Noun
  • These birds, with their intense, sharp eyes and bold, sturdy appearance, are selective in their social bonds and communicate in loud, rattling chatter.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The group, including Shawn Mendes, Bruna Marquezine, and Edward Norton, relaxed and unwinded as conversations and chatter got louder.
    — Lucrezia Malavolta, Vogue, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of chatter
Noun
  • When the table talk turns political, Hagains suggests shifting your approach instead of your mood.
    — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Nov. 2025
  • Each monthly box includes three recipe guides, skill lessons, a kitchen tool, a kitchen project, an apron patch, table talk cards, and a grocery list.
    — Jessica Booth, Parents, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of table talk

Browse Nearby Words

smallswords
small talk
small-time
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Small talk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small%20talk. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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